From the title one would hink that the article, "Who Has the Right to i(~!ow"~~ would explore the pros and cons of the issue of "rights" claimed by many adoptees but not granted by legislatures or courts. It is, however, largely a presentation of emotional issues instead of factual ones. The author, for exampTe, refers to common law, the Constitution and B!ll of Rights in justifying relative harm that would be done by granting adoptees access, but does not make a case regarding such adoptee claimed rights He fails to acknowledge as another nri ter in the same issue has done that "English common law (upon which our law is based) made no provision for adoption. 13 Much is made of the fact, widely accepted also by adoptees, that only a relatively small number of adoptees search, as if this were germane to the issue That point disregards on of the basic concepts of democracy. While leaders are selected by majority or plurality vote, the law insists upon equal treatment of all individuals. The fact that most people who wante d to vote could afford to pay a pol 1 tax had no bearing on the fact that such requirement prevented a smaller number from exercising their franchise to vote. There was not a large uprising which prompted school integration in 1954; one specific case was sufficient to establ ish that separate but equal schools did not give equal treatment under the law. The women's rights movement embodies only a fraction of the total femal population but they have made themselves heard, have repeatedly proven discrimination against women, and have thus been effective in removing barriers, changing attitudes and awakening the conscience of the country. Examination of adoptee rights to sealed records needs objective scrutiny in 1 ight of current morals, attitudes and trends. We are tired of presentations which attempt to put adoptees on the defensive by charges that we are mentally ill, disloyal, unloving or uncat-ing. We would especially like psychologists to approach the problem professionally vii thout preconceived ideas which result in articles which sound as if written by distraught and threatened- adoptive parents. Although last year in addressing adoptees' rights to access of information the Missouri Supreme Court rejected t two adoptees ' position presented them one of the judges who voted against the adoptees offered as part of his separate opinion this statement: I note briefly the current fascination with the profound achievement of author Alex Haley in his recorded search for genealogical roots. These sensations of the consciousness of personal history are ample testimonials to the unique anxiety of Americans in discovering our origins; .................... . ., ........ > ........... 1.2.7 li . I.... , . . ,., .., .., . . .*.. .,,:,.: . ........ I . . . . ., , '. . . . . . I . . . . . . : ..: .:,, , , ." ', . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . ....... :.. . . . . . . . . ! . . .. . . . . , ,. . . ,. , ' : . for: we 'are, ~ i t rare:excepti.on, h a : . . ., '; , .. '. nation 'of uprooted . immigrants whose ... . . family crests 'are 1 i tt:e more than the rennants of graffi ti on the steerage deck walls of a generationof of vessels. A1 1 of us n'ee d to know our past, not only for a sense of lineage and heritage, but for a fundamental and crucial sense of our ve ry selves: our identity is incomplete and our sense of self. retarded without a real personal historical connection. "It is too often forgotten that an adopted child eventually grows up. ..... (We need not assume) that what was in an adoptee.'~ best interest. as a child is also in his best interest as an adult. ("Sealed Records in Adoption ," 21 Cath. Law. 211, 217-8 (1975).)"14 Perhaps there is stiil a gl imner of hope for adoptees who believe they do hdve the right to know. While adoptees should be considerate of others' views, they should not allow patently biased articles to deter them from their goals, whatever they are. All things, it is said, must be in moderation and that is certainly true of feelings regarding identity and rejection. Those who decide to search must meet their own nee ck and be attentive to adoptive parents' feelings (but not bound by such feelings!). We do have the burden of the adoptive parents' feelings, a task we rightfully and willfully accept. We will have to leave it up to Baran, Benet, Lifton, Pannor, Sorosky (all cited) and others to educate those who don't or won't understand adoptees feelings regarding identity and rejection. '9lr:noarenrlsi. laooree rna roouri.te aarcntlr l. 'I :sunasls tbuulled I !. '~aootlon: inn nas tne al?nt :o (nowl.' Ponllc .elrare :The Journal of :fie kmricjn ? * ~ c i t c Arsoc~atlonh, 101. 37. 'lo. 3 ';smer :979). ;kereln.aiter :ired 1% ?uoi:c :eis.1m. 2. 4uscin Fa~ter. ';ha Has :he algnr r.o orow? 9.37 ;.;CItc :.?I fare. her9in lft~r citea as Foster) ;. 2coerca A.6. Andrews. 'a a : tnrc~l iopralsai of iyarcntnq.' 2. ?I. auol tc .el far*. nert1nsf:ar ::tea ds Jnareasl. 1. $narcs. 3. L6. . . j. 'Iary
Volume 2, Number 1 Winter/Spring Issue
- Page 3 and 4: PROJECT AWARENESS! The AWARENESS PR
- Page 5 and 6: y KAREN TINKHAM - SEARCH - Phoenix,
- Page 7 and 8: . . . . , ,., , , , . ' . . '. .,.
- Page 9 and 10: y SUSAN DARKE - Orphan Voyage - Mas
- Page 11 and 12: Search Training Seminars are geared
- Page 13 and 14: I 1: < A Born and nurtured first as
- Page 17: Volume 1, Number 2 30r 'Spring . 'I
- Page 20: t (/Jwp (U&, .IC.'. ". , \ V We hav
- Page 24 and 25: ARIZONA CONCERNED UNITED BIRTHPAREN
- Page 26 and 27: The KEY to Open minds U Qamilies by
- Page 28 and 29: 9.(3m. B o you q'ifiow 3 Match the
- Page 30: Booklets HANDOOOK FOR THE SEARCH by
- Page 34 and 35: . . . . . : . . . . . . . . . . , .
- Page 36 and 37: BILL of RIGHTS by Gail Hanssen A Pr
- Page 38 and 39: I GREW YEARS IN ONLY DAYS- - After
- Page 40 and 41: Attorney Bert Hirsch talks on ECONO
- Page 42 and 43: Jean Paton's "Wine & Cheese" party
- Page 44 and 45: 1. In Arizona law Custody - is: "Ph
- Page 46 and 47: I WOULD HAVE SEARCHED FOREVER by Sa
- Page 50 and 51: , , 1. r/ss~ morn[ aa/~h# c+- -. \
- Page 53 and 54: ARIZONA CONNECTICUT CUB Branch ADOP
- Page 55 and 56: ADOPTION I wonder what 'i t would b
- Page 57 and 58: A Twelve-Year Old Who Intends To Fi
- Page 59 and 60: Books, tel evision , newspapers and
- Page 61 and 62: .I Finally, someone answered my cal
- Page 63 and 64: .. --- .. -..--..- .., FATHF R . .
- Page 65 and 66: 1; P t Bikh Contr go;',tpki:ii. ,?
- Page 67 and 68: Booklets HANDBOOK FOR THE SEARCH by
- Page 69 and 70: Volume 2, Number 2 Fa l I / Winter
- Page 71 and 72: TRIAD r I 1980 NATIONAL ADOPTION CO
- Page 73: The 1980 NATIONAL ADOPTION CONFEREN
- Page 77 and 78: . I % of STATE #1 #2 Regist. NEW HA
- Page 79 and 80: ~ ~ ~~ - - . . ...... . . . . ....
- Page 81 and 82: Generally, pregnant -.a teenagers n
- Page 83 and 84: AN OPEN LETTERTO ADOPTlVE PARENTS f
- Page 85 and 86: NEED WE SAY MORE ? i ; I 81 PAUL LE
- Page 87 and 88: LOST AND FOUND: The Adoption Exper-
- Page 89 and 90: TRIADOPTION LIBRARY, INC. P.O. Box
- Page 91 and 92: Dear Pals; Just a note to say hello
- Page 93 and 94: .. .. . : ' . . . . . . ., . . . .
- Page 95 and 96: t U. S. MIL# 1ARV LOCATORS AS^ GUA~
- Page 98 and 99:
P.O. Box 5218 Huntington Beach, Ca
- Page 100 and 101:
T W YOU We want to especially thank
- Page 102 and 103:
I mmoxa UZAITET~~ 3s~ilma mma~m amv
- Page 106 and 107:
ANNUAL REPORT ' .- .
- Page 108 and 109:
SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES In 1981, Tr
- Page 110 and 111:
ACTIVITIES Service d of Volunteers
- Page 112 and 113:
GOALS 1982. Establish a permanent p
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